


Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

by Just_here_for_a_laugh



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Captain Will Turner, Crew as Family, Cute, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Flying Dutchman, Friends as Family, Immortal Will Turner, Loneliness, Married Couple, Pining, Pirate King Elizabeth Swann, Romance, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Will Turner is a romantic sap, curse of Davy Jones, cuteness, graphic descriptions of beauty, missing a loved one, twist ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:08:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26824180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_here_for_a_laugh/pseuds/Just_here_for_a_laugh
Summary: Captain Will Turner lays on his bed on board the Flying Dutchman thinking about his beautiful Elizabeth
Relationships: Elizabeth Swann/Will Turner
Kudos: 14





	Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

He laid on the bed and stared at the cabin ceiling, tracing the patterns in the wood as he swayed with the rock of the ocean. He sighed deeply with the rhythm of the waves, the sea his only companion in these seemingly endless moments of loneliness. Closing his eyes he pictured hers: beautiful, sparkling, wild. Elizabeth’s soul was as untamable as the sea herself and her deep shining eyes never shied away from displaying that fabled power: shining and dancing as her laughter cried out free and uninhibited, or striking and impossibly deep as the clouds gathered in their dark depths and her rage dashed against the rocks anyone standing in her way. The breath that escaped Will’s lips was shaky as he sank further into the mattress and his memories. He thought of her long soft hair, in winter the shade of the deep rich soil of Port Royal, and in summer’s light the color of the sand now standing between them. He smiled as he remembered how she twirled the silky tresses around her fingers as she sat deep in thought, not of monsters and mutinies but of the few mundanities they had been afforded in their union, calm and warm and safe. He ached quietly to wrap the soft strands around his own fingers and gently rest his hand against her face, taking in her beauty as though it were entirely new. Every aspect of Elizabeth had the power to mesmerize Will, but her smile stood apart from all the rest. He was sure there had never been anything as lovely. Whenever she wore one, another could not help but grace his own lips as well; and each time she smiled for just the two of them joy bubbled like a spring inside his chest and he was hit with a new wave of gratitude that of everyone in the world, she had chosen him.

  
He opened his eyes again and returned his gaze to the ceiling. Ancient beams ran overhead, supporting the upper deck and hiding him away from those atop it. He loved his crew, but without Elizabeth he could feel the absence of his figurative heart in addition to his literal. His empty chest was truly hollow without her.

  
Taking another deep breath he tried to focus on efficiently prioritizing the tasks around the ship for the day and wrestled with himself to get up, losing in the end to his opponent. He continued to lay on the bed eyeing the ceiling in vain until there came a knock on his cabin door. Will shot up and looked towards the noise, afraid to be hopeful.

  
“Captain!” called Gibbs through the door, “She’s here!”

  
Will leapt towards the door and threw it open. Gibbs, who had known better than to be standing anywhere near the front of the doorframe, laughed from where he stood leaning on a barrel a few feet off to the side. The crew were all gathered to help hoist the row boat and help the Pirate King on board. They laughed and called out jovially, all excited to see their friend, and she did the same as the king and the crew shouted hellos and laughed with each tilt of the small wooden dinghy. In a few minutes time the boat was level with the ship and Pintel and Ragetti each extended a hand to help her on board.

  
“Poppet,” Pintel grinned with open arms to which Elizabeth responded with a true pirate’s bear hug.

  
“Your Majesty,” smiled Ragetti with a polite bow.

  
“Your grace,” Elizabeth curtsied, grinning at their long running joke. Will watched on in glee to allow his wife the time to greet their friends as she pleased, but after a few moments his excitement got the better of him.

  
“Elizabeth!” he shouted to his wife, who had indeed been discreetly looking over heads in search of him as well. The vibrant eyes he loved so much met his and they ran to each other. Grasping her into a tight embrace the captain spun her around as they both laughed in delight. With her feet once again on the deck Elizabeth began to excitedly tell her husband all about her trip to the market and the drama that had transpired, this time between a merchant and a man accused of stealing.

  
“...and he lunged at him and it turned into a brawl. I swear a dozen men came in out of nowhere, drunks I’m sure just waiting for an excuse to fight, so of course _I _had to jump in and settle the matter; nothing too laborious, and after a few good kicks to the stomach and my jumping onto a cart with my sword pointed down at them they were all rather convinced they ought to listen. Oh! And I got you this tiny carved turtle! Look at how cute he is! I thought he’d look lovely on the cabin desk, l-“ She stopped short when she looked up to meet her husband’s face and saw it rapt in quiet awe. “What?” she huffed in a small laugh. Will shook his head slightly and wrapped his arms around her waist.__

  
“I missed you,” he whispered as he leaned in to gently kiss her. She smiled against his lips and chuckled.

  
“I was only gone four days.”

  
“Still,” he hummed, nuzzling his head into her shoulder. “It’s good to have you home.” Elizabeth hummed lightly and put a hand on her husband’s head, gently running her thumb across his thick, soft hair, the subtle gesture as much for herself as for him.

  
“It’s good to be home.”

  
After a few more seconds in each other’s embrace the couple parted to once again interact with the rest of the crew. There were more hugs from the rest of the men including a relieved Bootstrap Bill happy to see his daughter in law return safely and his son smile again, followed by a brief moment of panic over Elizabeth’s missing bag. The frenzy was quickly assuaged by Mr. Gibbs however, who handed the bag, retrieved from the dingy, to her with a fond laugh and his own paternal smile. Soon, someone started up a shanty and as the crew began to sing and laugh the captain put his arm around the Pirate King and smiled. She leaned into the touch and the two fondly watched their very large, very unconventional family.

  
Reaching into the recovered bag, Elizabeth pulled out a small piece of glazed wood and handed it to Will.

  
“Awwwe,” he cooed as he turned the small turtle figurine over in his hands. “You’re right it’s precious.” Elizabeth watched him trace the delicate carvings along the shell and smiled. Pirate though he was, once a blacksmith always a blacksmith and a craftsman always appreciates good craftsmanship. She took in his fascination with an overwhelming affection, the look of marvel in his eyes the reason she had bought it to begin with. Happily she wrapped an arm around her husband’s waist and kissed his cheek. He looked back at her with a surprised smile and she laughed, bright and cheerful. She could tell that there was nowhere he would rather be than right here on their ship together with her, and she couldn’t help but agree. The pair admired the turtle, flipping it around and running fingers along its fins, completely at ease on the open sea.

  
“Did you get one for Jack?” Will asked. “He’d love this.”

  
“Of course,” Elizabeth replied, “what sort of a friend would I be if I passed a sea turtle figurine and didn’t get one for him?” she teased. Will laughed and kissed her forehead.

  
“Well,” he started, voice just slightly and playfully lower. He swept her legs out from under her with the grace of extensive practice. She squealed in surprised excitement and found herself cradled securely in his arms. Gently, he rested his forehead against hers and grinned. “How about you, me, and the turtle go into our cabin so we can put him on that desk like you suggested?”

  
“Hmmm,” came the answer through her playful smile. “And after he’s settled? Would we simply stay in the cabin, just you and me?” Will grinned.

  
“I suppose we could find something to do.”

  
“Ah,” Elizabeth smiled, “well then, in that case lead on.” Will huffed a quiet laugh and turned them around.

  
“As you wish, your majesty,” he hummed, walking towards their cabin door.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm so in love with these two and they deserve all the happiness in the world. I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean or anything associated with it. Happy reading!


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